caring for your bib mousse - Rabaconda · lots of lube. Naturally, we recommend the rabaconda 3-minute mousse changer and pro tyre lever set if ... caring for your bib mousse 04 how

Caring for your BiB Mousse

caring for your bib mousse

caring for your bib mousse

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Hard or soft?

size matters

WHat to knoW WHen cHanging your mousse

HoW to knoW WHen to replace

a feW more tips

contents



the rabaconda guide to caring for your bib mousse

The bib mousse is truly an awesome invention. It lets you keep racing even with a puncture (or two, or three). A bib mousse – or mousse or tyre mousse or whatever you want to call it – is generally used for off-road racing. It’s basically a flexible foam ring that fits inside the tyre and is then mounted on the rim. Mousses come in rings.

How the mousse fits into the tyre is key. The balance of the pressure


from the tyre casing and the counterpres-sure from the mousse must be just right for good stability. This is where it gets complicat-ed because tyres vary in size, tread width, and diameter. A mousse is no small purchase ei-ther, especially if you’re just starting out. A typ-ical mousse can go for €100-150 each, so we’ve put together this guide to help you get the most out of your purchase.


01hard or soft?


01hard or soft?

Depending on what kind of riding you’re doing, you may want a hard or soft mousse. If you’re into motocross, then you’re going to want a stiffer mousse for better traction and landing jumps. Enduro riders generally look for something in the middle – not too hard and not too soft. But extreme enduro riders want a soft mousse for better traction when climbing hills, walls, or whatever else. Don’t worry about punctures – that’s why


you use a mousse in the first place. Some riders even drill holes into their mousse to soften it up. Try drilling 12-13mm holes every 2.5cm making crosses along the mousse. And as always, use lots of lube on the tyre to keep it from breaking down. New mousses are very stiff, so riders prefer a 1-2 day old mousse for races.


02size matters


02size matters

A mousse’s pressure cannot be changed, so size is everything. For enduro, your mousse should be the same size as the tyre – so a 120 tyre should have a 120 mousse. In extreme enduro, riders want a softer mousse. You can get this by putting a smaller mousse into a larger tyre. You’ll want a 120 mousse for a 140 tyre, but keep in mind that this may damage your rim. Mud and dirt can also get in if the mousse is too soft,


and dirt will destroy a bib mousse. For a soft mousse, we recommend using two rim locks opposite each other (especially for a race like Red Bull Romaniacs) on the back tyre. Most riders only use a rim lock on the rear tyre.


03what to knowwhen changing

your mousse


03what to know when changing your mousse

“If you use a lot force when changing tyres, there is some-thing wrong.” JuHa salminen

If you’re sweating and struggling to change your mousse, you’re not doing it right.You don’t have to be strong to change a mousse. Really! Of course you need to use some physical exertion to change a tyre, but you aren’t doing it right (or you don’t have the right tools) if you have to use a lot of force. You can tell you’re using too much force if you’re sweating, if your back hurts, or if you break or bend a lever. You


should not try to install a mousse yourself until you’ve watched a pro do it. In general, you will need some kind of stand or changing surface, tyre bead clamps, long levers, and lots of lube. Naturally, we recommend the rabaconda 3-minute mousse changer and pro tyre lever set if you want to change your tyre the fast and easy way. If you don’t use good levers, you can pinch the mousse.


If you’ve just come from riding, your mousse is going to be really hot and wider than normal. It’s going to be really hard to change and will only lead to mistakes and frustration. Be patient and wait for it to cool down. Clean the tyre and the mousse after you have dismounted it. Mud and dirt will ruin the mousse.

Use a brush to lube the inside of the tyre, then insert a dry mousse.


After the mousse is fitted inside the tyre, the part of the mousse that is visible and will come into contact with the rim later needs to be lubed. Lube is absolutely essential – we can’t emphasize this enough! We’ve tried different things – vaseline included – but we recommend using a proper mousse lube. Remove any excess lube with an old t-shirt, because you don’t want to get any lube on the tyre bead. Why not?


Because your tyre might slip on the rim while you’re riding, and that ain’t good. Besides, lube is expensive so you won’t want to use more than you need. If you have difficulty mounting the tyre, use a soap-water mixture to ease it on.


04how to knowwhen to replace


04how to know when to replace

A bib mousse should be replaced when it becomes too soft for riding. As the diameter of the cross-section decreases, the rim becomes vulnerable and cornering traction gets worse. The general rule is that a bib mousse is good for about 6 months from the first installation. But it really depends on how and where you’re riding – surface, track, air temperature, speed... It all plays a role in the lifespan of a bib mousse.


In simple terms, that could mean one day at the Dakar or a whole season for occasional riders.


05a few more tips


If you’re not riding your bike for a month or longer, it’s better to remove your tyres and clean them thoroughly. Tyres can be cleaned with water and your mousse can be wiped down with an old t-shirt. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Mousses expand in temperatures above 30°c/86°f, so if you live in a warm place, keep your mousse in an air-conditioned room. You can also use air tubes in your daily riding to save your mousses for racing.

05a few more tips


tHree key points to remember

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02

03

Lube, lube, lube!

Keep the bib mousse clean.

You don’t need a lot of force to change a mousse.


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caring for your bib mousse - Rabaconda · lots of lube. Naturally, we recommend the rabaconda 3-minute mousse changer and pro tyre lever set if ... caring for your bib mousse 04 how